Retailers voluntarily and selectively participate in the program in which an official "Buy American - Support the USA" label is placed on packaging which shows a single percentage number representing the portion of the seller's cost from US materials, labor, transportation and marketing. Some products can show 100% and some will show a smaller percentage because some of the seller's cost is foreign.
Purchasers are offered a rebate by mailing a claim form to a private company fulfillment center which collects from the participating retailers the cost of administering the program. Rebate amounts vary product by product according to the percentage of US value.
The government calculates and advertises program statistics including estimates of the value of US GNP from the program.